


Tartarus

by fawatson



Category: The Praise Singer - Mary Renault
Genre: Drabble Sequence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-07 18:44:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1909692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fawatson/pseuds/fawatson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>50 words and 100 words about divine punishment post-novel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tartarus

**Author's Note:**

> **Title:** Tartarus   
> **Originally posted to :** maryrenaultfics at LiveJournal on 31/10/2013  
>  **Originally written for:** Spooky Challenge 2013   
> **Prompt:** Scare Me   
> **Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters and make no profit by them.   
> **Author’s Notes:** (1)The owl and the olive tree are symbols of Athene; (2) The pomegranate and myrtle are symbols of Aphrodite; (3) Tisiphone was one of the Erinyes. She punished crimes of murder. In Virgil’s Aeneid she is described as the guardian of the gates of Tartarus 'clothed in a blood-wet dress.'

“I was one offering short,” bright-eyed Athene said sweetly, “but no more.” With one graceful finger, she gestured toward Hipparchos, bound tightly to a tall olive tree, his genitals pecked raw by an owl. Her dark grey eyes were stern. “It does not do to skimp honour to a goddess.”

* * * * *

Aphrodite laughed, offering one crimson pomegranate seed to Delias . “Your choice which.” She pointed to two bloodied bodies lying twined on a bed of myrtle. Unhesitatingly the girl placed the seed on Aristogeiton’s lips, saying, “Harmodios killed for pride; you loved and died for it.” But on waking Aristogeiton wept, and turned his face from the maiden, curling into his dead lover. Outraged, Delias knelt, removed the seed from his mouth, throwing it away. As she stood, she transformed, innocent face now harsh, dress dripping wet with blood. Watching silently, Aphrodite shuddered; but Tisiphone cackled, “Do I scare you?” 


End file.
